Olympus E-500 review : At this moment Olympus is the sole manufacturer to utilize the FourThirds system. A welcome addition will be Panasonic's model, which is said to follow this year. At the PMA 2006, both Panasonic and Olympic will reveal a great share of details and developments. Consequently, the system's range will be considerably broadened. Its pioneer Olympus is doing quite an impressive job establishing the FourThirds system, to which its third model once again greatly contributes. They bring us the Olympus E-500, a very compact camera that, contrary to the E-300, comes with a regular prism viewfinder. We've had the opportunity to test the Olympus E-500 extensively. The results can be read in our Olympus E-500 review.

Olympus E500 - Improved usability
Besides the ergonomic, professionally approved layout of the controls, the usability of the E-500 is also enhanced by the high-resolution 2.5” HyperCrystal LCD, which allows results to be viewed in a large format directly on the camera. Furthermore, the Olympus E-500 offers two flash memory card slots - for both CompactFlash and xD-Picture Card media. Surprisingly compact and light-weight, the E-500 SLR camera is an ideal companion when travelling, or for reportage photographers in the field.

E-500 SLR camera - SuperSonic Wave Filter
For all ardent photographers, image quality has the highest priority, and the Olympus E-500 does everything to ensure perfect photos in every situation. By incorporating the Supersonic Wave Filter, the problem of dust entering the camera body and landing on the CCD while changing lenses - a phenomenon until now virtually impossible to prevent - is finally solved. As a piece of dust can cover several hundred pixels on the CCD, even the tiniest particles can potentially cause serious damage to photos. The patented technology ensures worry-free lens changing anywhere and anytime, enabling users to really experience the brilliance of dust-free pictures. Developed by Olympus, the Supersonic Wave Filter generates ultra-high-speed vibrations that shake off dust and other particles, which are then captured on a special adhesive membrane. This function is invoked at each start-up of the camera but may also be manually effected. This ingenious solution also spares users the otherwise necessary time and expense of cleaning dusty image sensors.

Olympus E-500 digital SLR camera
When the Olympus E-300 first appeared in the market, many raised an eyebrow. Was this the camera that would truly make a mark for the FourThirds system? It wasn't. With the E-500 digital reflex Olympus gives it another shot, one that in my opinion is far more realistic than the last. First of all, because the Olympus E-500 eyes as a regular D-SLR. Photographers have proven to be significantly more conservative than the actual designers of the models. The Olympus E-500 is very well designed indeed. It is a wonderfully compact camera, in to which has obviously gone a considerable amount of thought. It lies nicely in your hand and is easily operated. The camera's ergonomics are truly superb, something you will immediately notice upon taking the camera in your hands for the first time. A genuine example for the other models!

Olympus E-500 D-SLR camera review
Judging from both the size and price of the camera, the Olympus E-500 is meant for those who are new to the world of photography or are making the change from a compact camera to a D-SLR. The sheer amount of possibilities and settings offered on the Olympus E500 however, clearly imply a camera for the more advanced photographer. This makes the Olympus E-500 a camera one can grow in to. It offers a great first step in to the FourThirds system, which will become even more comprehensive over time. We've had the opportunity to test the Olympus E500 and the standard 14-45 mm extensively. The results can be read in our Olympus E-500 review.